West Midlands Bus on Demand: customer guidelines

The service is for people who find it difficult or impossible to use public transport for reason of disability or other mobility issue.

In Coventry however, the service is open to everyone.

Yes. Children under 16 must travel with a responsible adult aged 18 or over. Everyone travelling must have a seat booked.

If you are travelling with a child, you must provide any safety equipment they need, such as a baby seat or booster seat.

Vehicle operators cannot provide these because children vary in size.

Yes. You can book a journey for other people.

Make sure everyone travelling knows about these guidelines. If you are travelling with a child, you are responsible for making sure they follow the guidelines too.

Tell us how many people are travelling when you make your booking. This includes people who are travelling for free.

Everyone in your group must travel from the same pick-up point to the same drop-off point. We may not be able to carry people who have not been included in your booking.

You can book up to 14 single trips in any rolling seven-day period. This is the same as seven return trips.

Journeys are limited to a five-mile straight-line distance from your pick-up point.

Journeys must also stay within the West Midlands boundary.

Unless your origin and destination is within Coventry, you must not use the service to travel to or from hospital appointments

Not necessarily. Bus on Demand is a shared service, so your journey time can change depending on other bookings, traffic and the route the vehicle takes.

When you book, we'll give you an estimated pick-up and drop-off window. These times are not guaranteed.

We'll let you know if we expect your journey to be outside the booking window.

You need to apply before you can book your first journey. You can apply using the app, via our website [insert form link] or by calling 0345 034 8670.

If you need to use a wheelchair or mobility scooter, you will need to complete an assessment before you can register.

Yes. You can book a journey for yourself and up to four other people if travelling together. Make sure everyone travelling knows about these guidelines.

You can book using the app or by calling 0345 034 8670.

When you book, you'll need to tell us where you want to be picked up and dropped off and how many people are travelling.

If you are registered as requiring an essential carer then an essential carer will be added to your bookings and must travel with you on all journeys.

If you have any questions, please just ask the advisor.

Yes. If you use a standard manual wheelchair, you do not need an assessment.

You do however need to make sure that your wheelchair is compliant to standard ISO 7176-1.

Powered wheelchairs, mobility scooters or adapted wheelchairs will need to be checked to make sure they fit safely onboard before you can use the service.

Our vehicles can carry wheelchairs and mobility scooters up to 120cm long and 70cm wide, with a combined maximum weight of 300kg, including the passenger.

If you want to remain in your wheelchair during the journey, your wheelchair must meet the ISO 7176-19 safety standard. If it doesn't, you'll need to transfer to a seat on the vehicle.

Assistance dogs can travel with you at any time.

You can also bring a pet if it is safely restrained or in a suitable carrier. Pets must not take up a seat or cause problems for other passengers.

Yes. Our drivers can help anyone who needs additional assistance to get on and off the vehicle and help you to carry a reasonable amount of items, however our drivers cannot enter your home. They are trained to provide a high level of customer care and support.

Your fare will be shown in the app when you book. If you book by phone, the booking adviser will tell you the fare.

No, English National Concessionary Travel Passes do not provide free travel on Bus on Demand. This includes older person's and disabled person's passes.

In Coventry, concessionary passes can be used as proof of eligibility for concessionary travel.

Swift Cards cannot be used to pay for Bus on Demand journeys.

You can pay:

• by card in the app
• by card on the vehicle
• by cash to the driver

If you're paying cash, please try to have the correct amount as drivers may only have limited change.

If you need to cancel you must give as much advance notice as possible.

You can cancel trips either on the App or by contacting us during the contact centre operating hours.

Failure to cancel unwanted bookings or cancelling close to the time of travel results in a wasted trip which cant be made available to other customers.

We may suspend the services to you if you repeatedly cancel or fail to honour your bookings.

If we cancel your journey before or during the journey, you won't be charged.

We may need to change or cancel services because of things such as traffic, bad weather, vehicle problems or passenger numbers. Where possible, we'll try to arrange alternative transport for pre-booked journeys.

Your journey will be treated as a no-show if you haven't arrived at the pick-up point one minute after the end of your arrival window.

You'll receive a text message six minutes before the vehicle is due to arrive, as well as live updates in the app.

Regular no-shows or late cancellations will result in a review of the account, which could result in a suspension of the service to you.

Please:

• follow instructions from your driver
• treat drivers, staff and other passengers with respect
• use your phone and other devices considerately
• tell staff if you become unwell or are injured
• take your rubbish with you when you leave.

Please contact our Contact Centre between 8am - 6pm Mondays to Fridays or 8am - 4pm on Saturdays.

We operate an out of hours service after 6pm on weekdays and after 4pm on Saturdays for anyone travelling during those times.

For everyone's safety, there are some things you must not do:

• stand while the vehicle is moving
• distract the driver
• block an aisle or emergency exit
• smoke or vape
• eat or drink
• behave in a threatening or abusive way
• damage or interfere with the vehicle or its equipment
• play music or other sounds loudly
• travel while under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs
• bring a bike, e-scooter or other cycling vehicle onto the vehicle.

You may be refused travel or asked to leave if you do not follow these rules. Serious incidents may also be reported to the police.

You can bring small items of luggage or shopping if they can be safely stored.

As a guide, you should not bring more than you can carry yourself, normally around two or three bags.

Larger items that cannot be safely stored are not allowed.

Yes. You must wear your seat belt while travelling.

Seat belt extensions are available if you need one.

No. Bikes, folding bikes, unicycles and e-scooters cannot be carried on Bus on Demand vehicles.

If you've left something on a Bus on Demand vehicle, contact us as soon as possible on 0345 034 8670.

Tell us what you've lost and when and where you travelled.

If we find your property, we'll keep it for up to two weeks. Perishable items, such as food, will normally only be kept for 24 hours.

You may need to provide identification and a description of the item before it can be returned.

If you have a question, complaint or suggestion about West Midlands Bus on Demand, contact our Customer Service Centre:

0345 034 8670

customerservices@tfwm.org.uk

Transport for West Midlands
16 Summer Lane
Birmingham
B19 3SD